Green - or how to cleverly hide a broccoli in a delicious meal.

Summer is as its fullest, days are long and sunny, sky is blue, windows stay open until it's dark out, meals are simple and quick. My computer is not being as used as much as in the colder times - who wants to stay indoors when summer is calling?

But all blissfulness has to finish sooner or later, mine got slightly crushed by my doctor's news, which said 'too low levels of iron'. Well, I thought, not the worst thing in the universe, simply have to add more greens, dried apricots, seeds of all kinds and grains (no-meat eater). Quick sandwiches have to be replaced with more thought through options - spinach salads, beans, quinoa and broccoli....

Broccoli is one of those vegetables, similar to spinach, that even the sound of it makes some shiver. Thankfully not me, but my other half - yes indeed. And rarely, very rarely but still (here comes my dirty secret) - I try to smuggle it anyway. Hidden in sauce or a soup, mixed with other tastes and textures it gets eaten.

Today I'll show you one of my favorite smuggling successes, which is also one of my favorite green dishes.

Broccoli pesto quinoa
prep time 20min, serves 4ppl

1 cup quinoa
2 broccoli florets
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, lightly roasted on a dry frying pan
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
4 tbl spoons of olive oil
salt to taste

1. Prepare quinoa as instructed on the package.
2. Meantime steam cook broccoli. When soft and ready to consume set one aside and put the other one in a blender with garlic, sunflower seeds (leave a spoonful for decoration), cheese and olive oil. Mix until well blended.
3. Add pesto mix to cooked quinoa, cut the remaining broccoli florets and serve on the plate next to the quinoa/pesto (if your companions are not frightened by it. Otherwise blend both florets in the blender).
4. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining sunflower seeds.

I've discovered this recipe in one of my favorite blogs and the dish immediately stole my heart. The taste of broccoli (for those who can stand it) is very well hidden in the sunflower pesto, leaving a tangy and spicy buzz on the tip of your tongue.
Packed with iron and all kinds of other good stuff. Green and summery!

Second New Year's resolution

- snow. Or rather taking advantage of what's around in winter time. Turns out that there's lots of snow just a couple of hours away. Why not?
Learning how to ski also sounded like fun, so there I was, in my new bright red jacket, big white gloves and even bigger smile on my face. All in all is was not so bad, and most important - not as cold as I feared. With a bit of luck, the slope gets full sun exposure, and I got a bit of it too. Nice and warm.
Two hours later I learned how to turn and stop - standing or sitting position. My legs were a bit tired, bruised here and there but I think I'll go skiing again.

At home there was a nice soup waiting for us. Green and very warming.

Asparagus & Pesto Soup
serves 2 hungry ppl/ prep time 30min


500 grams of fresh asparagus
1 yellow onion
1 red onion
1 cup of fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup (abt 30 grams) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tbl spoons of olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts (slightly roasted)
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
750 ml of veg bouillon


Cut asparagus into about 3 cm pieces - save the tip pieces for decoration
In a big pot, heat olive oil and add finely chopped onions. After a couple minutes add asparagus pieces and continue frying for a few more minutes.
Add bouillon and cook for about 15 min, until asparagus becomes soft.
In a separate frying pan, fry the asparagus tips for a couple minutes.
Prepare pesto - grind basil leaves, cheese, pine nuts, garlic and  olive oil in blender or food processor.
Add onions and apsparagus and continue grinding until pastelike (texture depends on individual likings)
Transfer the pesto/asparagus cream back to the pot with bouillon. Stir and serve!
Decorate the bowls with asparagus tips and pine nuts.

I discovered this soup recipe here, but decided to make it even more pesto like and enriched it accordingly.
And yes, I realize it's been a bit too green here, so promise to prepare something sweet and not so green next time.